HOKAY this is about the worst time/format for discussion for me because I do not have time or brain to tl;dr while at work but I would love to see the game in this kind of format.
So it's... not exactly all topical and also I think it is incoherent but I wanna TL;DR WHILE THE IRON IS HOT
I think it would be rad to just have a lil game where the plot turns as it will, and the worldbuilding is more a... background on which such things can happen.
There are some really cool ways in which that's already happening, which have really a lot of the time been using the god/NPC system that's already in place!
I think that if NPCs were really enabled to do their own, self-directed plots then that would help the game a great deal. I know that there are some really talented, creative people involved. While there has been some really cool things coming out of gods, I've also felt that a lot of them have been... stagnant? I'd love to see the concept of gods retooled a little to take even less emphasis from the offerings/exchanges and more regarding their power to affect and be affected by people.
S'vx was an AWESOME example of this. He showed up, had demands, and reacted to people based on how they treated him. Bitey Goddess is also me kinda trying to be me playing around with this idea. The way things with her are going to play out are going to be SUPER dependent on how people interact with her and her critters.
But I don't think these need to all be villainous, of course! I mean, obvs antagonists are awesome for stirring conflict and plot. But i'd love to see for example some priest-vs-priest conflicts of interest. Just pulling an idea out of my patootie here: maybe the Hellions get wind that there are cameras all over?
Really encouraging players to have an immersive, motivating priesthood would be cool too. Like, buh, I hope I don't feel like a big-head for offering it, but I think I have a pretty good instainct for what can help pull in and motivate characters, so I would love to be an idea bouncer for current or prospective gods? Like, I would love to see priesthoods evolve into something like a profession. They can give characters a self-sustaining purpose and arc!
However! Mm, I feel like all of this is stuff on the player-end of how to make "sandbox" fun and sustainable. I think there have been a lot of mod practices so far that have discouraged this to the point where I know that there have been people who have left the game due to frustrations about lack of agency/engagement/satisfying environment. In addition to discussion about what can happen ICly and plotty-wise, I'd kind of also like to hear from the mods what their plans are to now foster an environment where these things can happen from their end. Like, concrete changes in their policies from the way things used to be handled? If that makes sense...
Re: STATE OF THE GAME and also other feelings
So it's... not exactly all topical and also I think it is incoherent but I wanna TL;DR WHILE THE IRON IS HOT
I think it would be rad to just have a lil game where the plot turns as it will, and the worldbuilding is more a... background on which such things can happen.
There are some really cool ways in which that's already happening, which have really a lot of the time been using the god/NPC system that's already in place!
I think that if NPCs were really enabled to do their own, self-directed plots then that would help the game a great deal. I know that there are some really talented, creative people involved. While there has been some really cool things coming out of gods, I've also felt that a lot of them have been... stagnant? I'd love to see the concept of gods retooled a little to take even less emphasis from the offerings/exchanges and more regarding their power to affect and be affected by people.
S'vx was an AWESOME example of this. He showed up, had demands, and reacted to people based on how they treated him. Bitey Goddess is also me kinda trying to be me playing around with this idea. The way things with her are going to play out are going to be SUPER dependent on how people interact with her and her critters.
But I don't think these need to all be villainous, of course! I mean, obvs antagonists are awesome for stirring conflict and plot. But i'd love to see for example some priest-vs-priest conflicts of interest. Just pulling an idea out of my patootie here: maybe the Hellions get wind that there are cameras all over?
Really encouraging players to have an immersive, motivating priesthood would be cool too. Like, buh, I hope I don't feel like a big-head for offering it, but I think I have a pretty good instainct for what can help pull in and motivate characters, so I would love to be an idea bouncer for current or prospective gods? Like, I would love to see priesthoods evolve into something like a profession. They can give characters a self-sustaining purpose and arc!
However! Mm, I feel like all of this is stuff on the player-end of how to make "sandbox" fun and sustainable. I think there have been a lot of mod practices so far that have discouraged this to the point where I know that there have been people who have left the game due to frustrations about lack of agency/engagement/satisfying environment. In addition to discussion about what can happen ICly and plotty-wise, I'd kind of also like to hear from the mods what their plans are to now foster an environment where these things can happen from their end. Like, concrete changes in their policies from the way things used to be handled? If that makes sense...